Sweet potato, Parma ham and pea risotto Recipe

serves:

4
- 5

Skill:

easy

Prep:

10 min

Cooking:

40 min

Nutrition per portion

RDA

Calories

445 kCal

22%

Fat

13g

19%

- Saturates

3g

15%

The combination of sweet potato and salty Parma ham makes this risotto a delicious dinner for any night of the week, posh enough to serve up for friends but easy enough to feed the family on too. Made in under an hour and with just a bit of effort on the stirring front, this Italian meal really is very simple to do. Serve up with a side salad if you fancy a few more greens!

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

2tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced

250g risotto rice

750ml hot vegetable or chicken stock

Good sprig of thyme

125g frozen peas

3 slices of Parma ham

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 sweet potato, unpeeled and sliced very thinly

About 40g Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

Set the oven to 200°C/392°F/Gas Mark 6. Spread the sweet potato cubes out on to a baking tray, drizzle with 1tbsp of the oil, season and roast for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large pan. Add the rest of the oil and the onion, and cook for 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the rice, stir well for a minute, then pour in half the stock. Add a sprig of thyme.

Cook, stirring occasionally over a medium heat until the liquid is almost absorbed. Gradually add more stock and when nearly absorbed stir in the roasted sweet potato and the peas and cook for another 5 minutes.

While the risotto is cooking, shred the Parma ham straight into a hot frying pan and cook for a few minutes until crispy, then take out. Add some oil to the pan and fry the sweet potato slices, in 2 batches, for a couple of minutes to make crisps. Drain on kitchen paper.

Stir the Parmesan into the risotto and season well. Spoon into bowls and top with the crisps and Parma ham and a sprig of thyme.